Wild CardDirector: Simon WestCast: Jason Statham, Sofia Vergara, Angela Kerecz, Stanley Tucci, Milo Ventimiglia, Anne Heche, Michael Angarano, Matthew Willig, Jason Alexander, Max CasellaSynopsis: “Nick Wild is a Las Vegas bodyguard with lethal professional skills and a personal gambling problem. When a friend is beaten by a sadistic thug, Nick strikes back, only to find out the thug is the son of a powerful mob boss. Suddenly Nick is plunged into the criminal underworld, chased by enforcers and wanted by the mob. Having raised the stakes, Nick has one last play to change his fortunes…and this time, it’s all or nothing.”Criticwire Grade Average: C- (5 reviews)

Limited

Above & BeyondDirector: Roberta GrossmanSynopsis: “As Israel was fighting to establish a nation in 1948, it was badly wanting for an air force. Using secret means in defiance of the US Neutrality Act, Israel recruited American pilots who had fought in WWII. Above and Beyond recounts this hidden chapter of history, interviewing pilots and making skillful use of special effects by Industrial Light & Magic. The creation of Israel’s air force proved crucial in the ‘48 war and has had reverberations up to the present day.” [DOC NYC]Theatrical Release: New York (opens in Los Angeles on February 6th)

Alien OutpostDirector: Jabbar RaisaniCast: Adrian Paul, Reiley McClendon, Rick Ravanello, Douglas Tait, Joe Reegan, Matthew Holmes, Sven Ruygrok, Nic Rasenti, Darron Meyer, Kenneth Fok, Scott E. Miller, Stevel MarcSynopsis: “Two documentary cameramen embedded in an army unit in the most hostile place on earth, an outpost surrounded by the last remaining alien fighters (Heavies) of an invading attack force. The world may have forgotten about the Outposts, but the Heavies are planning the second invasion of Earth and the soldiers are the only ones who can stop it.”Theatrical Release: New York and Los Angeles (expands to various cities through the end of February)

Amira & SamDirector: Sean MullinCast: Martin Starr, Dina Shihabi, Paul Wesley, Laith Nakli, David Rasche, Ross Marquand, Taylor WilcoxSynopsis: “Sam is an army veteran adapting back to civilian life after a lengthy tour overseas. Upon reuniting with his unit’s former Iraqi translator in New York City, he meets Amira, his war buddy’s niece; suspicious of soldiers, she wants nothing to do with him. However, when Amira runs into immigration trouble, Sam offers to keep her safe at his apartment. After a rocky start, their unlikely friendship starts to blossom into something more.”Theatrical Release: New York and Los Angeles, Austin, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Kansas City, Phoenix and Seattle (expands to various cities throughout mid-March)

Backstreet Boys: Show ‘Em What You’re Made OfDirector: Stephen KijakSynopsis: “A surprising and rewarding journey filmed over 2 years that delves into the extremes of fame, fortune, betrayal and renewal. The documentary follows the members as they share their lives with us and relive their journey together, revealing new and old tensions that need confronting and resolving.”Theatrical Release: New York and Los Angeles, Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Orlando, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Toronto and Washington, DC

The Devil’s ViolinistDirector: Bernard RoseCast: David Garrett, Joely Richardson, Jared Harris, Andrea Deck, Christian McKay, Veronica Ferres, Helmut BergerSynopsis: “The life story of Italian violinist and composer, Niccolò Paganini, who rose to fame as a virtuoso in the early 19th Century.”Theatrical Release: Various (including New York and Los Angeles, Arlington, Dallas and Seattle)

GirlhoodDirector: Céline SciammaCast: Tatiana Rojo, Rabah Nait Oufella, Diabate Idrissa, Karidja Touré, Assa Sylla, Lindsay Karamoh, Marietou ToureSynopsis: “Oppressed by her family setting, dead-end school prospects and the boys law in the neighborhood, Marieme starts a new life after meeting a group of three free-spirited girls. She changes her name, her dress code, and quits school to be accepted in the gang, hoping that this will be a way to freedom.” [Cannes – Director’s Fortnight]Criticwire Grade Average: B (14 reviews)Theatrical Release: New York (expands to Los Angeles on February 6th and various cities throughout the end of February)

Guten Tag, RamonDirector: Jorge Ramírez SuárezCast: Adriana Barraza, Kristyan Ferrer, Rüdiger Evers, Hector Kotsifakis, Franziska Kruse, Arcelia Ramírez, Ingeborg SchönerSynopsis: “After five failed attempts to go to the United States, 18-year-old Ramón decides to look for a friend’s aunt in Germany, but never finds her. With no papers or money, and without knowing the language, he barely survives living on the street until he meets Ruth, an old retired nurse who doesn’t speak Spanish. Beyond language barriers and prejudices, they discover that solidarity and humanity make life bearable.”Theatrical Release: Los Angeles, Denver and Houston

Hard to Be a GodDirector: Aleksei GermanCast: Leonid Yarmolnik, Laura Lauri, Aleksandr Ilin, Yuriy Tsurilo, Evgeniy Gerchakov, Pyotr MerkuryevSynopsis: “A group of scientists is sent to the planet Arkanar to help the local civilization, which is in the Medieval phase of its own history, to find the right path to progress. Their task is a difficult one: they cannot interfere violently and in no case can they kill. The scientist Rumata tries to save the local intellectuals from their punishment and cannot avoid taking a position. As if the question were: what would you do in God’s place?” [Rome Film Festival]Criticwire Grade Average: A (6 reviews)Theatrical Release: New York

Suburban GothicDirector: Richard Bates, Jr.Cast: Matthew Gray Gubler, Ray Wise, Kat Dennings, Sally Kirkland, Jeffrey Combs, John WatersSynopsis: “Raymond has a prestigious MBA, but he can’t find work. He can channel the paranormal, but chatting with a cute girl mystifies him. Kicked out of his big city apartment, Raymond returns home to his overbearing mother, ex-jock father, and beer-bellied classmates. But when a vengeful ghost terrorizes the small town, the city-boy recruits Becca, a badass local bartender, to solve the mystery of the spirit threatening everyone’s lives.”Theatrical Release: Los Angeles, Chicago, Cleveland, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Houston, Philadelphia, Phoenix and San Francisco

SupremacyDirector: Deon TaylorCast: Joe Anderson, Dawn Olivieri, Danny Glover, Lela Rochon, Anson Mount, Evan Ross, Derek LukeSynopsis: “He was free for a day. Within hours of being released from 14 years of solitary confinement in maximum-security Pelican Bay State Prison, Garrett Tully is on the run again. When he finds a house off a dirt road and takes a family hostage, he thinks the Aryan Brotherhood has his back–and his kidnap victims are black. The family’s patriarch, Mr. Walker, is a jaded ex-con who hates cops so much he disavowed his own son for becoming one. Seeing a familiar desperation in Tully, Walker refuses to call the authorities for help, causing familial tensions to escalate, and soon grave missteps are made.” [LA Film Festival]Theatrical Release: New York and Los Angeles, Atlanta, New Jersey and New Orleans

TimbuktuDirector: Abderrahmane SissakoCast: Ibrahim Ahmed, Toulou Kiki, Abel Jafri, Fatou Diawara, Hicham Yacoubi, Kettly Noel, Layla Walet MohamedSynopsis: “Timbuktu is silent, the doors closed, the streets empty. No more music, no tea, no cigarettes, no bright colors, no laughs. The women have become shadows. The religious fundamentalists are spreading terror in the region. In the dunes, away from the chaos, Kidane enjoys a quiet life with his wife Satima, his daughter Toya and Issan, his little shepherd. But his peace is short-lived. After accidentally killing Amadou, a fisherman who stroke down his favorite cow, Kidane must face the law of the new foreign rulers determined to defeat an open and tolerant Islam. Against the humiliations and acts of brutality performed by these complex men, Timbuktu tells the story of the silent struggle of the people, the fight for life of little Issan, and the uncertain future of the children.” [Cannes Film Festival]Criticwire Grade Average: A- (27 reviews)Theatrical Release: New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco (expands to various cities throughout the end of March)

Missed last week? Here are all the releases from the weekend of January 23th.